Article and process of making the same



June 16, 1942. H. H. REPLOGLE ARTICLE AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAMEFiled Aug 26, 1939 1111111111011/ {1l/l [1111111111111 'lll/11111111111Patented June 16, 1942 ARTICLE AND PROCESS F MAKING THE i SAME Harry H.Replogle, Scarsdale, N. Y., asslgnor to Sylvania Industrial Corporation,Fredericksburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia Application August 26,1939, Serial No. 292,016

Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of wrapping and an articleproduced thereby. More particularly, it relates to a method of wrappingcommoditiesV such, for example, as foodstuis of the type of bread, cakeand the like, and th article of manufacture so produced.

In the wrapping of bread heretoforeit has been customary to wrap avrelatively narrow band bearing suitable advertising or other printedmatter about each loaf of bread simultaneously with the applicationofthe bread Wrapper. The wrapper for the bread has usually been formedof moisture-proofed regenerated cellulose or waxed paper, and in orderto retain the printed band in position and prevent its sliding on thebread so as to become unsightly and unreadable, it has been the practiceto either introduce an adhesive between the wrapper and the band or toemploy both a wrapper and a band of heat-sealable material so that theband would be sealed to the wrapper during the sealing of the overlappededges of the wrapper. Both of these methods have occasioned considerabledissatisfaction since the use of an adhesive between the band and theWrapper has introduced undesirable odors within the bread wrapper whichhas frequently contaminated the bread and rendered it unsalable. When aheatsealable coated material has been used for the band it has beendifficult and expensive to apply the printed matter to the band and hasfrequently necessitated the printing of the bandbefore the applicationof the heat-sealable coating thereto. The present invention makes itpossible to avoid all of the above-mentioned undesirable features and torapidly and economically wrap many different articles in an attractiveand effective manner.

Itis highly desirable to utilize a relatively narrow printed banddirectly beneath the translucid wrapper of the article since such anarrow band can be printed with a given amount of advertising,decorative or informative matter at much less cost than the same amountof printed matter can be applied to the larger wrapper.V In addition,since many commodities which differ in characteristics havesubstantially the same shape, it is possible to utilize a standard formof wrapper for all of the articles and to merely add the band printed inaccordance with the particular article to the standard wrapper as it isapplied to the article. The necessity for carrying in stock a largenumber of wrappers bearing difficult printing is thereby eliminated.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a process ofwrapping articles in a rapid and effective manner.

It it another object of the present invention to provide a process ofwrapping articles such as foodstuis of the type of bakery products, intranslucid wrappers with relatively narrow bands bearing suitableprinted matter in position directly beneath the band so as to enable theprinting to be read through the wrapper.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a methodof simultaneously applying a wrapper and a relatively narrow bandbearing indicia to an article in such a 'manner that the indicia-bearingband is firmly anchored in position without the use of extraneousadhesive or without employing for the band a material which has aheat-scalable coating or is itself heat-sealable.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide animproved article of manuacturein the form of a wrapped article having anindicia-bearing band interposed between the article and its wrapper andfirmly anchored in position. p

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide animproved article of manufacture of the type of a wrapped article hav-.ing an uncoated band bearing printed matter and interposed and anchoredbetween the article and its wrapper without the use of extraneousadhesives.

In accordance with the present invention, the article is enveloped in awrapper formed of material bearing a heat-scalable coating andsimultaneously is encircled with a band formed of uncoated materialbearing' suitable printed matter disposed between the article and thetranslucid wrapper. Two edges of the wrapper are overlapped along oneside ofthe article andl an end of the encircling band extends betweenand is interleaved with the overlapped edges in the seam. The overlappededges of the wrapper are sealed when the wrapper is heat-sealable, forexample, by the application of heat in any well known manner so that theoverlapped edges forming the seam are sealed together substantially overthe entire area of the seam except that portion which is covered by theinterleaved end of the band. Since the band is firmly gripped at eachlongitudinal edge by the seam it is firmly anchored in place and fixedin position and prevented from -displacement which might impair theattractiveness of the article and render the printed matter dilcult toread.

If desired, the interleaved end of the band may be cut so that it doesnot extend entirely across the Width of the seam, or it may be providedwith suitable serrations or perforations so that the overlapped edges ofthe wrapper are heat sealed over the area of the same beyond the edge ofthe band or within the serrations or perforatlons and is therebysubstantially hermetically sealed along the entire length of the seam.

'I'he invention accordingly comprises the several steps and relation ofone or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and theproduct possessing the features, properties, and the relation ofelements, which are exemplified in thefollowing detailed disclosure, andthe scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on theplane indicated by line I-I of Fig. 2 and looking in the -direction ofthe arrows;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wrapped ary ticle illustrated inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the article illustrated in Fig. 1revolved through 90 degrees;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken through the articleillustrated in Fig. 3 substantially on the plane indicated by line 4 4and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing another embodiment of the seal onthe article of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a 'fragmentary view of an end of the band shaped in accordancewith another modication of the invention;

Fig( 7 is a fragmentary view of mechanism which may be used tosimultaneously cut the bands and wrappers from rolls of stock material;l

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of another modified form ofthe article of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a machine for simultaneously severingthe band and wrapper from rolls of stock material and feeding the sameto the wrapping machine, and

Fig. 10 is an end view of the feeding mechanism illustrated in Fig. 9.

'I'he material used for the wrapper of the pres- 'ent invention may beany of the translucid wrapping materials which are generally used at thepresent time. For example, the material may be waxed paper or othertranslucid papers provided with a potentially adhesive coating which canbe rendered adhesive by the application of heat or a suitable solvent,or heat-sealable Cellophane regenerated from viscose or cuprammomumsolutions of cellulose, and provided with a suitable heat-sealablecoating such l as that shown in United States Patents Nos. 1,989,683 and2,121,023, or the wrapper may be formed of other non-fibrous organicplastic materials which are inherently heat-scalable, such for example,as cellulose derivatives, such as cellulose esters, cellulose ethers,synthetic resins, chlorinated rubber and the like.

In the specication and claims, the term heatsealable when used withrespect to the wrapper is intended to include both materials which areinherently sealable by heat and materials other informative nature.

which have been rendered sealable by heat by having a heat-scalablecoating applied on one or `both sides, and it is to be understood thatthe vent and/or pressure.

The band may be made of any of the foregoing materials with theexception that it need not be formed of a material which is potentiallyadhesive by being inherently heat-sealable or which is provided with acoating which is potentially adhesive, thereby making it possible to usea very inexpensive material for the band. In fact, it is characteristicof the present invention that an uncoated band of inexpensive materialis used for carrying the printed matter. From certain aspects of theinvention it is preferable to use heat-sealable Cellophane for thewrapper and non-heat sealable or plain or uncoated Cellophane for theband. This provides a.l combination of materials which form a wrapperpresenting the maximum in attractiveness and mechanical protection forthe wrapped articles. and, in addition, is inexpensive because thewrapper does not have to be printed and the uncoated band material takesprinting very rapidly.

'I'he wrapping ,process of the present invention is carried out on anyof the conventional wrapping machines now in use and for this reason thedetails of the general wrapping operations form no part ofthe presentinvention and will not be described herein.

For the purpose of description, but not in the way of limitation, thewrapped article will be described as a loaf of bread. Referring to Fig.

A1, the loaf of bread I0 is fed through a conventional wrapping machinein which an outer wrapper I2 of the type previously described and arelatively narrow band I4 are simultaneously placed around the loaf ofbread and the extending ends of the wrapper are suitably folded andsealed to cause the wrapper to envelop the loaf of bread. The end I6 ofthe relatively narrow band is inserted during the wrapping operationbetween the overlapped edges I8 and 20 of the wrapper so as tobejinterleaved therewith. During the sealing operation heat is appliedto the overlapped edges I8 and 2U of the wrapper and some suitablesolvent or reagent may be applied between the overlapped edges and/orpressure applied to the overlapped edges, if desired. The seam formed bythe overlapped edges is thus sealed over the areas 22 and 24 (see Figs.3 and 4) close up against the edges of the end of the band I6 andsubstantially over the entire area of the seam except that portioncovered by the end of the band I6. In this manner the end of the band I6is firmly anchored in position and prevented from being displaced alongthe loaf of bread. The other end of the band is unsealed but isprevented from being substantially displaced by the fact that the sealedend of the band restrains it and the unsealed end is held in position-by the wrapper. The band I6 is provided in any known manner with anydesired indicia in the form of printed matter, legends, designs, etc.,which may be of an advertising or Since loaves of bread of differenttypes 4are frequently of substantially the same shape and size, thepresent invention makes it possible to utilize a common size of acommercial grade of Cellophane for the outer wrapper for many differenttypes of bread and thereby dispenses with the necessity for keeping manydifferent printed forms of wrapper in stock. The relatively inexpensivebands on the other hand can be printed for the differentl kinds ofbreadand the proper band insertedduring the wrappingvof eachA loaf.

In cases where itis desirablev to preserve a substantially hermetic sealover the entire bread wrapper, it is` desirable to form serrations 26along the edge of the band end I6 and when the overlapped edges I 8 and20 of the wrapper are sealed, the spaces 28 formed by the serrationswill permit the overlapped edges I8 and 20 to be sealed togethersubstantially entirely along the end of the band I6.

In lieu of or in addition to the serrations 26, the end of the band I6may be provided with suitable perforations 3D which may be of anydesired shape and size. The overlapped edges I8 and 20 of the wrapperwill then be heat-sealed over the spaces created by the perforations tothereby maintain the hermetic seal substantially across the width of theband.

In another modied form of the invention the band is cut so that the endI6 does not extend entirely across the width of the seam formed by theoverlapped edges I8 and 20, as shown in Fig. 8. In this construction theoverlapped edges I8 and 20 are sealed over the area 32 to therebycompletely maintain the hermetic seal of the wrapper.

'I'he band I4 may be cut so as to provide the construction illustratedin Fig. 8 by positioning the cutter strike-off 34 for the wrapper I2 andthe cutter strike-oil 36 for the band end I6 at spaced points. In thismanner when the cutter bar 36 descends during the cutting operation thewrapper and superimposed band will be cut at different positions so thatthe band I4 will not extend entirely across the seam when the wrapper iscaused to envelop the loaf of bread. 'Strikeoffs 34 and 36 and thecutter bar 38 form known parts of well known types of cutting machineswhich form no part of the present invention so the coating operationnecessitated in prior waxed printed bands.

Since certain changes in carrying out the abovev process, and certainmodications in the product which embody the invention may be madewithout departing from its scope, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

l. An article of manufacture comprising a loaf ofv bread, atranslucidwrapper having heat-sealing properties enveloping said loaf with a pairof adjacent edges of the wrapper forming an overlapped seam, a band ofindicia-bearing material which does not have heat-sealing propertiesencircling said loaf with an end of said band interleaved with the edgesof said wrapper 1n the seam and terminating within the seam, the saidedges of said wrapper being heat sealed together substantially over thearea of said seam except that portion which is covered by said end ofthe band, whereby. said band is anchored in position.

2. An improved package comprising a Wrapper of translucid materialhaving potentially adhesive properties enveloping an article with a pairof adjacent edges of the wrapper forming an overlapped seam, a band ofvindicia-bearing material which is not potentially adhesive encircling vsaid article with an end of said band' interleaved that a detaileddescription of the cutting machine I has been omitted.

In place ofthe cutter of the type illustrated in Fig. 7, the cutterillustrated in Fig. 9 may be used'with a differential speed feedingmachine. In the cutting and feeding apparatus of Fig. 9, the cutter bar40 severs the band I4 and the wrapper I2 at the same time, after whichthe severed band and Wrapper are fed forwardly by rollers 42 and 44,respectivelll,v to the wrapping machine. The speed of rotation of theroller 42 is made slightly greater than that of rollers 44 so that theband I4 is advanced to a slightly greater extent than the wrapper I2with the result that after the wrapping has taken place the vband Ilwill not extend entirely across the seam formed by the overlapped edgesI8 and 22 of the wrapper I2 as shown in Fig. 8.

The process of the present invention is capable of use for wrapping manydifferent articles, among which may be mentioned soap, cheese, butter,frozen commodities and boxes and bags of various types as well as bakeryproducts, such as bread, cake, rolls and the like.

'I'he process of the present invention makes it possible to rapidly andveconomically wrap many different articles in an attractive packagewhich serves to preserve the articles from atmospheric variations aswell as' mechanically protect the articles from abuse during handlingprior to ultimate disposition. The wrapper of the present invention iseconomical since, although it is made of excellent qualities ofmaterials, the printing desired on commodities of this type is appliedto the band in a very inexpensive manner. The waxing or other coating ofthev band is dispensed with and ordinary inks can be used for printingthe band since the ink does not have to resist ing a potentiallyadhesive coating enveloping said loaf with a pair of adjacent edges ofthe wrapper forming an overlapped seam. a band of indiciabearingmaterial encircling said loaf and having a perforated end interleavedwith the edges of said wrapper in the seam, the said edges of saidwrapper being sealed together by the adhesive properties of the coatingsubstantially over the area of said seam except that portion which iscovered by the imperforate portion of the said end of the band, wherebysaid band is anchored in position.

4. An improved package comprising a, wrapper of transparent non-fibrousmaterial and having heat sealing properties enveloping an article with apair of adjacent edges of the wrapper forming an overlapped seam, a bandof indicia-bearing material encircling said article and having aperforated end interleaved with the edges of said Wrapper in the seam,the said edges of said wrapper being heat s'ealed together substantiallyover the area of'said seam except that part which is covered by theimperforate portion of the said endof the band, whereby said band isanchored in position.

5. An improved package comprising a wrapper of translucid materialhaving potentially adhesive properties enveloping an article with a pair.of adjacent edges of the wrapper forming an sealed together by theadhesive properties ofthe Wrapper substantially over the area of saidseam except that portion which is covered by the said end of .the band,whereby said band is anchore in position. f

6. The method of wrapping articles comprising Y enveloping an article inatranslucid wrapper said end of the band, whereby the band isan* choredin position.

7. The method of wrapping articles comprising wrapping an article in asheet of cellulose hydrate having a heat-scalable coating andoverlapping a pair of adjacent edges of the sheet to form a seam,simultaneously,encircling the article with a band of indicia-bearinguncoated cellulose hydrate with an end of the band interleaved with thesaid edges in the seam` and .terminating within the seam, and heatingthe coating to produce adhesion of the overlapped'edges over all of thesaid seam except that portion which is covered by the said end of theband, whereby the band is anchored in position.

8. The method of wrapping articles comprising enveloping an article in asheet of translucid material having a potentially adhesive coating andoverlapping a pair of adjacent edges of the sheet to form a seam,simultaneously therewith encircling the article with a band ofindiciabearing material with an end of the band interleaved With thesaid edges in the seam, but not extending entirely across the seam, andactivatling the adhesive coating substantially over the area of the seamexcept that portion which is covered by the said end of the band,whereby the band is anchored in position.

9. The method of wrapping articles comprising enveloping an article in a`sheet of translucid material having a potentially adhesive coating andoverlapping a pair of adjacent edges of the sheet to form a seam,simultaneously encircling the article with a band of indicia-bearingmate- `translucid material enveloping said loaf with a pair of adjacentedges of the wrapper forming an overlapped seam, a band ofindicia-bearing ma'- terial encircling said loaf with an end portion ofsaid band interleaved with the edges of said wrapper in the seam, thesaid end portion of said band being smaller in area than the area of theportion of the overlapping edges of said wrapper which is includedbetween the side edges of the wrapper and lines along the side edges ofsaid band, the said edges of said wrapper forming the overlapped seambeing sealed together by the adhesive properties of the wrappersubstantially over the area of said seam except that portion which iscovered by said end of the band, whereby said band is anchored and xedin position.

, HARRY H. REPLOGLE.

